June 23 Public Briefing: NAS Report on Use and Storage of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) at Bayer CropScience

The National Academy of Sciences will hold a meeting on June 23 in Dunbar, W.Va., on its congressionally mandated report The Use and Storage of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) at Bayer CropScience, which was released in May.Several members of the committee that wrote the report -- Elsa Reichmanis (chair), Paul Amyotte, Michael Elliott, and Michael Lindell -- will present its findings and take questions from the audience.

The report finds that Bayer CropScience sought to reduce risks associated with the manufacturing and storage of the toxic chemical MIC at its processing plant in Institute, W.Va.However, the company did not make an effort to incorporate all possible hazard control methods, and not all chemical manufacturing plants have adopted safer processes that aim to minimize or eliminate hazards.The committee recommended that the U.S. Chemical Safety Board or another entity develop a framework to help managers at chemical plants choose among alternative processing options -- considering factors such as safety, environmental impact, and product yield -- to develop a safer chemical manufacturing system.

DETAILS:

The event will start at 9:30 a.m. EDT on Saturday, June 23, in Room 135 of the University Union at West Virginia State University, 301 Washington Ave., Dunbar.Reporters who wish to attend should register in advance by contacting the Office of News and Public Information; tel. 202-334-2138 or e-mail news@nas.edu.